Scranton Paper Facing Federal Overtime Investigation?

By: Joe Strupp The Times-Tribune of Scranton, Pa., is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor for possible overtime violations and other workplace issues, according to multiple reports in local media.

One story in the nearby Times Leader of Wilkes-Barre, Pa., reported that "The [labor] department?s Wage and Hour division at the Wilkes-Barre office mailed a two-page form dated Nov. 21 to current and former Times-Tribune newsroom employees requesting information regarding hours the employees worked. The correspondence was signed by Labor Department investigator Joseph Sabol."

It added that, "Recipients were asked a series of questions, including: dates of employment; job title; explanation of duties; average number of hours worked daily; number of weeks during the year that employees worked more than 40 hours a week; how and if the employee was paid for additional hours worked. Labor Department spokeswoman Leni Fortson said the department is not allowed to confirm or deny reports of investigations."

Times-Tribune Human Resources director William Nish told the Times Leader that the investigation was "a payroll audit."

?These audits are routine, and in no way an indication of wrongdoing,? he stated in a press release. ?As I am confident that The Times-Tribune properly complies with the wage-hour laws, I certainly expect no significant issues or findings.?

Times-Tribune managing editor Larry Beaupre declined comment to E&P. Calls to the Times-Tribune publisher's office and Sabol were not returned.
?We pay overtime. We are very scrupulous about paying overtime,? Beaupre told the Times Leader.

The letter to employees, also posted on the Nepamedia Web site, a local blog, stated, ?The fact that we are asking for this information does not imply that this firm has violated any law."

But one former reporter, Sarah Molina, told the Times Leader that Times-Tribune reporters often worked 14-hour days and 50-to-60-hour weeks without receiving overtime pay or additional days off. "She recalled working a day shift one Sunday in late April and putting in an additional four hours when the newsroom learned a Dunmore soldier was killed in Iraq," the paper stated.

?At the time my editor said, don?t worry you?ll get paid the extra overtime, but I never saw it,? Molina told the Times Leader, adding that she worked at the paper for six months before quitting in late July.